During the construction of streets, roads and the like, in connection with building developments or otherwise, various below-ground structures are built or installed to accommodate a variety of utility-related needs. Most commonly, these include storm water drainage systems (storm sewers), sanitary sewers, and vault structures of various kinds for electric power systems, communication-related systems or other similar systems. In each case, such below-ground structures or systems have upwardly-projecting portions (still below ground) to which heavy (typically cast-iron) ground-level members are permanently joined in order to provide access openings, for water inflow, maintenance or other access purposes.
Typically, in the construction and installation of such systems along roadways, the principal underground channel members and upwardly-projecting portions are first installed. Then, after the street bed and curbs are completed (or nearly completed), the upper ends of the upwardly-projecting portions are completed (such as by brickwork) and the permanent ground-level members are secured thereto to complete the installation.
The ground-level member must be installed in proper vertical and horizontal (east-west-north-south) position in order to properly match the road level and roadside (curb) configuration. This necessitates proper positioning of the upwardly-extending portion of the below-ground structure. Accurate completion of the upper end of the upwardly-projecting portion of the below-ground structure, by brickwork or otherwise, to allow such proper positioning of the permanent ground-level member can be a difficult operation. Judging accurate positioning of the upper end of the upwardly-projecting portion of the below-ground structure can involve, among other things, manual placement and re-placement (sometimes multiple times) of the heavy cast-iron ground-level member until the below-ground structure is made right to allow proper positioning of the ground-level member.
Permanent ground-level members are extremely heavy, often about 250-500 pounds. Therefore, repetitively placing, removing and re-placing such device in the process of determining how best to complete the upper end of the upwardly-projecting portion of the below-ground structure involves considerable physical strain and accompanying risks. Therefore, there is a need for a device and method overcoming this significant problem.
Attention has been given in the prior art to development of devices for temporary covering of openings to such below-ground structures during the period of construction. Prior temporary covering devices have dealt with safety concerns about open holes and the like; attention has not been directed toward successfully dealing with installation-related problems.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved temporary ground-level member for covering openings in below-ground utility structures during construction, as well as a need for improved construction methods related to installation of below-ground utility structures and their associated permanent ground-level members.